Guides for garden hose prevent the hose from damaging flowers, shrubs and plantings as the hose is moved about the lawn, and particularly, when being pulled around a corner. Typical examples of hose guides are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,968,357; 2,264,751; 2,618,465; 3,829,065 and 4,452,386.
While known hose guides as shown in the aforementioned patents utilize rollers to facilitate movement of the hose across the guide without imposing undue wear or stress on the hose, known devices of this type are permanently or temporarily inserted into the ground at the location desired and the roller member extends above the lawn level. The presence of the hose guide above the ground level creates a hazard due to the danger of stumbling thereover, and such hose guides must be removed when mowing the adjacent grass, or mowed around, requiring additional grass trimming.
It is an object of the invention to provide a guide for garden hose wherein the hose-engaging member is retractable below the lawn level in a nonuse condition, and may be readily extended and elevated to a usable position.
A further object of the invention is to provide a retractable hose guide utilizing a roller wherein the roller is retractable below the lawn level in a nonuse position, and may be elevated to a usable position with little effort requiring no special skills on the part of the user.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a retractable garden hose guide which may be readily installed with ordinary skills, is of economical construction, noncorrodible, and which is maintenance free.
In the practice of the invention a housing in the form of a hollow stake is inserted into the lawn at the desired location. An elongated cylindrical roller-supporting member is located within the stake interior and may be axially displaced therein between a retracted position wherein the member is substantially entirely located within the stake, or may be extended to an elevated position wherein much of the member extends from the stake above the lawn level.
A roller is rotatably mounted upon the upper regions of the member for engaging the hose to be guided, and a cap or handle is mounted upon the upper end of the roller to permit the roller and support member to be elevated.
Detent structure is located upon the roller-supporting member and the stake to retain the member and roller in the elevated position, and a detent is also used to retain the member in the retracted position.
The roller member cap is shaped to facilitate grasping from above, and a radially extending flange is defined on the stake to minimize the likelihood of the stake being overgrown by grass. Additionally, wings in the form of gussets are defined on the stake to prevent stake rotation, and barbs are defined on the stake lower end to resist withdrawal.
Preferably, all of the components of the hose guide of the invention are formed of a noncorrodible synthetic plastic material which may be economically molded and shaped as desired.